Finding a fruitful path
We do not want to return to whatever it is we were doing pre-pandemic,” Marcos said. ‘We want to be able to be involved and be a vital part of the new global economy, of the new global political situation.’
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We do not want to return to whatever it is we were doing pre-pandemic,” Marcos said. ‘We want to be able to be involved and be a vital part of the new global economy, of the new global political situation.’
Three months into his administration, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appears all set to reintroduce the Philippines to the world.
In his week-long sojourn to the United States to address the United Nations General Assembly, he bared his ambitious plans for the nation, sought support for a seat in the UN Security Council, and reiterated the country's policy of being a friend to all and enemy to none.
In his speech, Marcos expressed confidence that the Philippines will be "moderately prosperous" by 2040. He urged industrialized countries to do their part in resolving climate change issues, and how the small countries are the ones suffering from its effects.
He lamented how inequality and inequity among countries still exist, evident during the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.
Ultimately, Marcos brought his call for unity to the world stage and called for an end to racism and Asian hate that skyrocketed during the height of the pandemic.
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He met with United States President Joe Biden in a bid to strengthen the ties that bind the two nations together, making it clear that the Philippines remains a partner, ally and friend. The former in turn affirmed the iron-clad ties between Manila and Washington.
Despite admitting that he has not been to New York for the past 25 years, Marcos Jr. exuded energy and enthusiasm in his first working visit to the United States.
He met with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, who expressed support for the Philippines' quest to become an upper-middle income country by 2023. He also had pull-aside meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and King Abdullah II of Jordan during the UNGA.
The President then talked to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres where they discussed the cooperation between the Philippines and the UN and other relevant global issues, such as climate action.
Marcos likewise discussed agriculture, energy and economic recovery with Manuela Ferro, the regional vice president of the World Bank for East Asia and the Pacific.
Reports coming out of the City That Never Sleeps quoted Marcos as expressing the country's willingness to take a constructive role in denuclearizing the Korean peninsula and calling for sobriety in Taiwan.
The President was visibly thrilled when he got the opportunity to ring the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange. It was here where he invited investors to the Philippines.
Marcos met with aerospace company Boeing and energy companies NuScale Power and WasteFuel on which he renewed his commitment to achieving sustainable development for the Philippines.
He talked about food security and peace-building with former British Prime Minister Anthony Blair and American global food corporation Cargill.
Leading fast-moving consumer goods entity Procter & Gamble has expressed willingness to work with the Philippine government in its nation-building efforts, particularly in digitalization.
The President invited American investors to take advantage of the country's economic resurgence, saying the time to do business in the Philippines is "now."
He sought the help of the Filipino community in New Jersey to invite friends and employers to visit the Philippines and share their learnings with their kababayans back home. Marcos lauded them for boosting the country's economy through their remittances.
Marcos did not specify precisely why the Philippines needed to be reintroduced. He said, however, that the nation needs to find a fruitful path and follow it.
"We have to position ourselves. We have to be clever about forecasting, being a bit prescient," he said.
"We do not want to return to whatever it is we were doing pre-pandemic," Marcos said. "We want to be able to be involved and be a vital part of the new global economy, of the new global political situation."
It was a whirlwind of a visit, but the repercussions are expected to benefit the Philippines at a time we need them most.
